Mail bag lock



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet -1.

8.110011. MAIL BAG LOOK.

No. 548,318. Patented 001;. 22, 1895.

wan/8880 80 I gnumimtoz 351 aum kflg m ANDREW BGRMMM. FIIDTD-LITHQWASHINGTDN. 1C,

( No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet2.

G. KOCH. MAIL BAG LOOK.

Patented 0m. 22, 1895.

II! In! llll llllllllllllilllllm ANDREW lGIIAHAM. PKUYWLITHQWASNINQTUN. 0.54

TATE'S ATENT rrrcs.

GUSTAV KOCH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR. OF ONE-FOURTH TO JOSEPH RIEGLER, OF SAME PLACE.

MAI L-BAG LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,318, dated October 22, 1895.

Application filed August 14, 1895. Serial Ila 559,214. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAV KOCH, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and a resident of the city of New York, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Locks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whereinto Figure 1 is a top elevation of my improved mail-bag lock; Fig. 2, a bottom view of the lid or upper part, andFig. 3 a top view of the lower part, of the lock-case. Figs. 4. and 5 represent the key in elevation and in bottom [5 view, respectively. Fig. 6 is an elevation of an exchangeable tablet bearing the name of the point of destination; Fig. 7, a side View of the locking-case open. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section, on lines 12 12 in Fig. 2, of the upper part or lid of the locking-case, showing also part of the lock. Fig.9 is a top view, and

Fig. 10 a section, of one of the grooved guiderollers. Figs. 11 and 12 are a side elevation and a bottom view, respectively, of catchpieces fastened on the lid of the case. Fig. 13 is a longitudinal section through the lower part of the locking-case on line 13 13 in Fig. 3, the guiding-rollers being removed. Fig. 14 is a vertical section of the lock. Figs. 15 and 16 c are top views of the lower part of the lockingcase, showing a modified construction of the locking device. Fig. 17 is a side elevation of the key used for operating the lock shown in Figs. 15 and 16.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all figures.

My invention relates to devices for locking of mail-bags; and it consists of a lock clamping and locking the strings of mail-bags.

The lock is composed of case B, having head Z with a set of grooved guiding=rollers R set therein, lid A, hinged thereto and forming, together with case B, the clamping-jaws, spring S, lock L, with key K, and latch H, with spring it, operated by knob N.

Rollers R, set on studs 0 in the head of the lock, guide strings St, gliding through the locking-case, and prevent their slipping from grooves '12, arranged for them correspondingly in both parts of the case. String St is passed through the case, as shown in Fig. 3, forming a. loop on the lower end, and both ends passing out between the rollers R.. The clamping of the strings is effected by pressing them in the arcuated grooves 'n betweencase B and lid A, latch or hook H, catching in spring is, holding them temporarily together. Lock L, operated by key K, locks the case securely and is provided to prevent the opening of the mail-bag while in transit.

To insure a secure hold of the strings between the lid A and case B, forming the jaws of the locking-case, grooves n are arcuated and their surface roughed with transversal ribs corresponding in structure with the wind- 6 ing of the strings. When a mail-bagis filled, string St is drawn through the clamping-case by pulling the loop on the lower end and the case pushed as closely to the bag as it will go, the strings closing the opening. Then lid A is pressed down, whereupon catch H will slide underneath spring is and the strings will be held securely between the jaws of the case. This latch, however, is intended only for looking the case while the bags are being prepared for transmission.

Lock L consists of rotary disk Z, with se mental bolts 17 and b, turning on pivot 19, and of the catch-pieces i, secured in corresponding position on the lid A. Disk Z is provided with holes e to admit tines e of key K. (See Figs. 4. and 5.) In connection with disk Z,holes e, and with the head of the pivot 19, contrivances insuring the safety of the lock against picking may be combined, it it should be necessary.

The lock is operated by key K as follows: When lid A is closed on case B and is held by catch H in spring lo, the key is inserted through aperture 10 in the turnable shield m 0 into disk I, tines e of the keyK entering into the holes e of the disk. Z, and the key is then turned as far as it will go. Then segmental bolts b will slide underneath catch-pieces h and thereby lock lid A securelytogether with 5 case B. By withdrawing the key, shield m may be turned so as to hide'holes e from view. Pin r limits the motion of diskl and prevents its being turned out of position. Spring S,

coiled on pin 10s in case B and pressing against lid A, lifts automatically lid A from the case B when the lock and latch are opened, thereby releasing the pressure upon the strings. Tab let T, bearing the name of the place where the mail-bag is to go, is inserted in a frame in the lid A. This tablet is exchangeable; but it can only be set in its place when the case is open, and cannot, therefore, be disturbed, exchanged, or lost while the bag is being transported, the case being then locked.

In Figs. and 16 I have shown a modification of the locking contrivances for fastening the strings in the case. This case is not arcuated vertically, nor are there any grooves provided therein. The strings pass between the grooved rollers set in the head, the same as in the other lock, and then between the walls of the case and two curved levers Ll, fulcrumed on a common pivot Pp.

Disk Zof the lock is combined with a doubleend cam cZ. This cam engages the shorter arms of the levers Ll, spreading them apart when turned, as shown in Fig. 16, thereby pressing the strings against the walls and holding them securely, so they cannot be withdrawn.

My improved mail-bag lock may be made of brass, malleable iron, bronze, or of any other suitable metal. It may also be composed of different metals and will prove almost indestructible.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The herein described lock for looking the strings of a bag comprising a case with a set of grooved guiding rollers set therein, a lid hinged thereto, the case and the lid being provided with correspondingly arcuated grooves and forming clamping jaws for the strings, and a latch and a lock for holding the jaws of the case together.

2. In a mail bag lock, comprising a case with a lid hinged thereto, forming jaws, having correspondingly actuated grooves for clamping the strings of the bag, the combination with segmental catch-pieces secured to the lid of the case, of corresponding bolts set on turnable disk, secured to the bottom of the case and adapted to be operated by a key, for the purpose of locking the lid to the case, thereby securing the strings of the bag irremovably in the grooves of the lock.

3. In a mail bag lock, comprising a case with a lid hinged theretothe case and the lid forming jaws, having correspondingly arcuated grooves and clamping the strings of the bag, when closed, and a lock for holding the jaws together, the combination with the lid of the case of a frame with grooved slide-ways opening in a slot underneath the lid, and adapted to hold a tablet, bearing the name of the point of destination of the mail-bag, the tablet being secured in the frame when the case is closed.

In witness that I claim the improvements described in the foregoing specification I have signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GUSTAV KOCH. lVitnesses:

JOHN P. NoRDsTRoM, E. O. NIELSON. 

